1989 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1989 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Branches
no regular armed forces
Climate
marine, tropical
Coastline
8 km
Comparative area
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Contiguous zone
1 2 nm
Continental shelf
200 m
Defense expenditures
no formal defense structure
Disputes
claimed by Haiti
Environment
mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Land boundaries
none
Land use
0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 10% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 90% other
Military manpower
males 15-49. 298,249; 176,660 fit for military service; 100 reach age 18 annually
Natural resources
guano
Note
strategic location between Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea; 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo, Cuba
Terrain
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)
Territorial sea
1 2 nm
Total area
5.2 knr; land area: 5.2 km2
People and Society
Population
uninhabited; transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
Government
Long-form name
none (territory of the US)
Type
unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Coast Guard
Economy
Overview
no economic activity
Communications
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US Caribbean Sea Sec regional mtp HI
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only Defense Forces